Embossing



DEC' 8, 1959 H. EwlNG Erm. 2,915,787

EMBossING 'Filed April e, 1955 United States Patent O EMBOSSING HenryEwing and Joseph Rowland Wylde, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignorsto British Celanese Limited,

a corporation of Great Britain Application April 6, 1955, Serial No.499,710 Claims priority, application Great Britain April 12, '1954 4Claims. (Cl. 18-56) This invention relates to embossing, andparticularly to embossing thermoplastic fabrics and other fibrous webs.

In this specification the w'ord fibres includes continuous laments asWell as staple fibres.

According to the process of the invention, a fabric or other fibrousweb, while travelling is embossed by pressing it in a condition in whichit can readily be distorted, between a travelling belt of resilientmaterial and an embossing surface travelling with said belt and suitablysupported to resist the pressure of the belt, and the fibrous web whilestill travelling in close contact with the surface, is converted to acondition in which the pattern embossed upon it is retained after thebrous web leaves the embossing surface.

In a fabric of thermoplastic material, the condition in which the fabricis readily distorted to take the pattern of the embossing surface may beobtained by the action of heat. The embossed surface, for instance, maybe heated along one part of its path, so that along that part of thepath the fabric is raised to a temperature at which it readily conformswith the pattern, and may be cooled along a further part of its pathwhile still subject to the pressure applied by the pressing belt, sothat on emerging from between the embossing surface and the pressingbelt it is sufficiently set to retain the pattern irnparted. The actionof dry heat,'however, is apt to damage some thermoplastic fabrics, andit is preferred, to employ heat in conjunction with a liquid or vapourthat, at the temperature of embossing, has a softening action on thematerial. In this way, embossing can be carried out at lowertemperatures and without damage to the material. For cellulose acetate,hot water, and especially steam, have such a softening effect. A veryadvantageous way of carrying out the process with such materials is towet the fabric to be treated and then to subject it, whilebeing pressedagainst the embossing surface, to a temperature above the boiling pointof water, e.g. a temperature of l60-220 C., and preferably l70-l90 C. Atthese high temperatures steam is quickly generated, and facilitates thedistortion of the material to conform with the pattern. The process canbe arranged so that the material, by the time it emerges from betweenthe embossing surface and the pressing belt, is substantially dry and ata temperature at which the embossed effect is retained. Instead of or inaddition to the effect of water, other agents which develop softeningproperties at elevated temperatures can be employed. Such agents includeaqueous solutions of alcohols, and dilute aqueous solutions of solventsfor cellulose acetate, as well as various liquids that develop solventproperties or near-solvent properties only at elevated temperatures.Particularly useful results have been obtained with esters and ethers ofglycols, especially diethylene glycol diacetate in aqueous solution.Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene, and chlorinatedaliphatic hydrocarbons that are not solvents for the cellulose acetate,can also be used, provided that due care is taken having regard to theirtoxic properties. We prefer to employ dilute aqueous solutions ofsolvents for the thermoplastic material of boiling point between 100 andabout 280 C.

Preferably, therefore, the embossing is effected at an 2,915,787Patented Dec. 8, 1959 elevated temperature and while the fabric containsa liquid having a softening effect at that temperature, so producing thereadily distortable condition, and the conversion of the fabric to acondition in which the pattern is retained is effected by removal ofsaid liquid.

Preferably also the embossing surface is a cylindrical surface rotatingabout its axis and heated from within, and the belt is an endless feltedwool blanket driven in the same direction and at the same speed as saidsurface, said blanket being pressed along one part of its path towardssaid surface to effect the embossing of the fabric, and along the nextpart of its path running partly round said surface and serving to absorbsoftening liquid from the embossed fabric while holding said fabric incontact with the embossing surface, the return path of the blanket tothe region in which it is pressed towards the embossing surface beingout of proximity lto said surface, the pressing of the blanket towardsthe surface being effected by a pressing member the surface of whichmoves with the blanket, and the softening liquid absorbed by the blanketbeing continuously evaporated so that the blanket is substantially dryas it leaves the region lin which it is pressed against the embossingsurface.

It is of advantage to include in the softening liquid a small proportione.g. l to 5% by weight, of a synthetic resin adapted to undergohardening during the heat treatment. In this way the resistance of theembossed effects to washing and ironing can be increased. Suitablesynthetic resins are found among the aminoplast class e.g. condensationproducts of formaldehyde with urea and with various urea derivativesespecially melamine. Excellent results have been obtained with amodified melamine formaldehyde resin sold as Beetle 309 (registeredtrademark). Besides rendering the effects more resistant to washing theuse of such resins appears to improve the sharpness of the effects. Itis thought that this maybe due to the resin causing temporary adhesionbetween the fabric and the pattern, so helping to hold the 'two in closecontact while the drying of the fabric is effected. A similar sharpeningeffect can be obtained by having present in the softening liquid a smallproportion (e.g. 1 to 4%) of suitable size. Modified protein sizes,such, for example, as Hyalcol RA (registered trademark) have given verysatisfactory results. Sizes based on methyl cellulose, sodiumcarboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol and the sodium and ammoniumsalts of styrene-maleic acid copolymers can also be used. The size maybe one that can be washed out of the embossed fabric, or if not used inquantity sufficient to stiffen the fabric unduly, may remain therein.The use of sizes and synthetic resins that produce temporary adhesionbetween the pattern and the fabric enables useful embossed effects to beobtained without a large angle of contact between the blanket and thefabric running on the drum.

The resins and sizes are preferably water-soluble and applied insolution in an aqueous liquid.

Av suitable form of apparatus for carrying out the process of theinvention comprises an embossing surface adapted to move so that eachpart of it passes continuously along a closed path, heating means forsaid surface, a belt of resilient material incombination with guidemembers for constraining said belt to run for part of its path in closeproximity to said surface, means for urging the belt towards saidsurface so that the fabric to be embossed, when fed between the surfaceof said belt and the embossing surface while one of said surfaces isbeing driven, is pressed into close Contact with the embossing surfaceand carried along, so transmitting the drive from the driven to theundriven surface, means for continuously drawing said fabric away fromthe embossing surface at the same linear speed as said surface.

Preferably, as indicated above, the embossing surface is that of arotatable drum provided with internal heating means. The pattern on saidsurface may be obtained in various ways, for example by engraving,etching, or sand-blasting or by cementing patterning material to thesurface. Very attractive effects can be obtained, for instance, from apattern formed by cementing to the surface of the drum grains of sand orother hard nonthermoplastic material unaffected by the softening liquid.

It is of great advantage to be able to change the drum quickly andeasily when it is desired to change the pattern. An arrangement whichprovides for easy changing of the drum, will now be described.

In the preferred arrangement, the drum is a hollow shell or endlesscylinder which hangs from a roller and is prevented from swinging aboutsaid roller by rotatable guide members engaging its inner surface. Thisroller may with advantage constitute the driving member for the drum,which in turn, through the fabric to be embossed, drives the belt. Withthis arrangement the drum can be made very cheaply, for example of thincopper sheet, aluminum sheet or other sheet metal, and can inconsequence be discarded when the pattern is no longer required. Thus,in forming the pattern surface of the drum, it is unnecessary to proceedin such a way that the pattern can ultimately be obliterated andreplaced by another pattern. Hence, adhesives and cements can be usedwhich could not be stripped from the drum without damaging it, whereasif the pattern is to be removed from the surface and replaced by a freshpattern, the choice of suitable adhesives and cements is limited. Thedrum can be very easily and quickly removed and replaced by another.

The pressure may be applied to the blanket by an auxiliary belt ofnon-absorptive resilient material pressed against the blanket by apressure roll. This auxiliary belt may with advantage be a thick belt ofrubber or rubber-like material capable of withstanding the temperatureresulting from heat transmission from the embossing drum through thepressing belt. Some of the synthetic rubbers7 e.g. polychloroprene,copolymers of butadiene with styrene7 such as GR-S, copolymers ofbutadiene with acrylonitrile, such as those sold under registeredtrademarks Hycar R15 and Hycar 0R25, and the butyl rubbers are moreresistant than natural rubber to high temperatures, and the siliconerubbers will withstand much higher temperatures still. The rubber,whether natural or synthetic, is preferably formulated in such a way asto have relatively high heat conductivity. lt may, for instance, beloaded with a heat-conductive carbon, eg. graphite, To facilitatedissipation of heat by the auxiliary belt, cooling means may be providedfor one or more of the rollers or guide rolls round which it runs; orcooling by direct Contact with cold water or cold air may be provided ata suitable point in the path of the belt. At temperatures up to about185 or 190 C., e.g. 17() to 180 C., good service has been obtained withan auxiliary belt of sponge rubber. At higher temperatures it has beenfound better, with a view to obtaining increased thermal conductivity inthe belt, to make it of solid rubber. A single pressing roller bearingon the inner surface of the auxiliary belt may serve to apply thenecessary pressure to the pressing belt, but it is preferred to employ aplurality of pressing rollers. Excellent results have been obtained whenthe auxiliary belt is pressed towards the embossing drum by two rollersspaced slightly apart, carried in a frame that can be urged towards thedrum by `means capable of adjustment to vary the pressure applied.

One form of apparatus according to the invention is shown by way ofexample in the'accompanying diagrammatic drawing, which shows theapparatus in end elevation.

In the drawing, the web to be embossed (a pre-wetted thermoplasticfabric 10) is shown being drawn from a supply roll 11, embossed, driedand wound up on a takeup roll 28. The web fltl is continuously drawnfrom the supply roll 11 round the guide roll 11a into contact with thepressing belt `12 and then through the pass between the belt and theembossing surface 13 of the embossing drum 14. The embossing drum is ahollow endless cylinder of copper about 1/s thick, to the outer surfaceof which sand grains are bonded by means of a thermosetting syntheticresin which is then hardened by baking.

This drum hangs from the driving roll 15 having at each end a shoulder(not shown) to prevent endwise movement of the drum, and is preventedfrom swinging about that roll by four rotatable guide rolls 16 eachmounted on a stub axle (not shown) and projecting into the drum two fromeach side. The embossing drum is heated internaily by radiant heaters17. The machine frame (not shown) is designed for easy removal of thedrum endwise.

The pressing belt 12 is a felted circular-woven endless wool blanket ofweight about 6 ozs. per square yard. This blanket is pressed against theembossing surface (with the fabric between the two) by the auxiliarypressing belt 18. This belt is of soft sponge rubber and of thickness1%". It runs partly round two pressure rolls 19 and 2% and a fixed idleroll 21. The pressure rolls are journalled in a frame (not shown) whichis urged downwards by the lever 22 fulcrumed at 23, connected with saidframe and carrying a weight 24 the distance of which from the fulcrum 23can be varied. In this way pressure is exerted by the rollers 19 and 20against the inside of the auxiliary pressing belt l1S, which in turnpresses on the pressing belt 12. The thick resilient auxiliary belt 18,interposed between the pressing rollers and the pressing belt 12, whencompressed by the pressing rolls has a large surface of contact with thepressing belt and this is an important advantage. The pressing belt 12runs in contact with the auxiliary belt 18 through the nip between thatbelt and the embossing surface, thence partly round the embossing drumand thence round the guide rolls 25, 26 and 27. A suction hood 29connected by suction-pipe 36 to exhaust means (not shown) draws offvapours of the softening liquid evaporated from the blanket. Anadjustable tensioning pulley 31 enables the belt 12 to be tensioned soas to lift it away from the drum when required. The following examplesillustrate the invention.

Example l The apparatus was as shown in the drawing.

The patterned surface was obtained by coating the drum evenly with athermosetting synthetic resin, projecting on to it, while it was beingrotated, sand of substantially uniform grain size, and baking the resinto convert it to the thermoset condition.

The fabric to be embossed was a cellulose acetate fabric warp-knittedfrom 55-denier yarn on a 2-bar, ZS-gauge machine, and having a weight of3.71 pounds per yard of 48 width.

To render the fabric more readily deformable during the embossingoperation, it was padded with water so as to retain about of its ownweight thereof. In this condition it was drawn at the rate of one yardper minute into the nip between the pressing belt and the heated surfaceof the rotating embossing drum, was carried round between this surfaceand the pressing belt, and, in the course of this travel, embossed anddried, and was continuously drawn away from between the embossingsurface and the pressing belt, and wound up on the takeup roll.

The temperature of the embossing drum was maintained at about C.throughout.

This treatment imparted to the fabric a pleasant pebble effect andimproved its dimensional stability.

Example 2 'Ihe process was carried out as in Example 1, except that thefabric was impregnated before embossing with 70 to 90% of its weight ofa 4% (by weight) aqueous solution of diethylene glycol diacetate. Thedrum was kept at a temperature of 165-170 and the fabric was run throughthe machine at the rate of 2 yards per minute. The effect was similartothat obtained in EX- ample l but more resistant to washing andironing. Useful results have been obtained with aqueous solutions ofdiethylene glycol diacetate ranging from 110% by weight.

Example 3 The process was carried out as in Example 2, except that:there was included in the softening liquid 2% by Weight of Beetle 309(registered trademark) a modified melamine-formaldehyde synthetic resin;and the patterned surface of the embossing drum was provided bycementing a sheet of emery cloth round the drum (carefully scarting thejoin), and metal-spraying the surface so obtained.

The treatment gave the fabric an attractive pebble effect which wassubstantially unaffected after 20 consecutive cycles of washing andironing.

Example 4 The process was carried out as in Example 3 but on a fabric ofsimilar construction to that specified in Example 1 except that thecellulose acetate was of acetyl value 62%, and the temperature of thedrum was kept at 190 C. The embossed effect was highly resistant toWashing and ironing.

Y Example 5 The process was carried out as in Example 2 but substitutingfor the diethylene glycol diacetate 4% by weight of the size Hyalcol RA(registered trademark) referred to above.

No undue stiffening of the fabrics occurred in treatment according toany of these examples.

Various embossing surfaces other than those described above can beemployed. Thus, for example, the embossing surface may be provided by awire gauze sleeve cemented on to the drum. Instead of wire gauze, othernon-thermoplastic fabrics (or fabrics of thermoplastic material thatdoes not soften at the embossing temperature) can be used to provide thepattern. Such materials include glass libre, asbestos, cotton or otherform of natural cellulose, regenerated cellulose, as well aspolyacrylonitrile` and non-thermoplastic acrylonitrile copolymers.Woven, knitted, netted, or even felted fabrics can be used to form thepattern. Lace fabrics provide particularly attractive patterns. Informing the embossing surface from a strip of fabric, care must ofcourse be taken to avoid an unsightly joint that might disgure thepattern produced. ,By employing fabric in the form of va sleeve, made,for instance, by circular knitting or circular weaving, and slipping thefabric sleeve over the adhesive-coatedembossing drum, an embossingsurface without a joint can be provided. Instead of fabrics, stiffpapers perforated to produce the pattern can be used. Patterns can alsobe formed by sticking on to the surface of --the drum cut portions offabric, paper, cardboard, metal foil, rubber or other` suitablematerial. When a relatively soft material such as fabric or paper isused to form the pattern, this may be reinforced by cementing a thinlayer of ductile metal foil'on -to the pattern and causing it to conformthereto under the pressure applied by the pressing belt when theembossing drum is rotated with the lfoil in position before the cementhas set. With a porous patterning material, a sheet of foil can be runthrough the machine between the pattern andV the pressing belt,immediately after applying the fabric or paper pattern to thecement-coated drum and before the cement is dry, so causing the foil toconform to the pattern and be bonded thereto by cement passing throughthe fabric or paper pattern. Other 4methods are available forreinforcing the pattern, e.g. spraying with metal, or with a dispersionof a non-thermoplastic, heatresistant polymer, e.g.polytetrauoroethylene, or with a thermosetting synthetic resin.Stencilling methods may also be used to form the pattern on theembossing surface.

Although excellent embossing can be obtained With the apparatusdescribed above, in which the whole of the pressure required is appliedmechanically, the invention includes a process and apparatus in whichthe pressure mechanically applied is supplemented by fluid pressureapplied, for instance, to the pressing belt after it has passed out ofcontact with the auxiliary pressing belt. Thus, for example, in theapparatus described, the run of the pressing belt between the region inwhich it contacts the auxiliary pressing belt and that in which itpasses out of contact with the fabric can be enclosed, and supplied withsuitable iluid pressure means, e.g. air under pressure. Alternatively,internal suction means may be provided to operate through the patternand the fabric upon the pressing belt over the region in which thefabric is in contact with the embossing surface. Naturally, if uidpressure is to act on the pressing belt, this belt must be of lesspermeable construction than that of the woolen blanket hithertodescribed. The pressing belt may, for example, be of rubber.

There may be employed, instead of a rotating embossing drum, atravelling embossing belt. This may, for example, be of metal or ofresilient sheet material, e.g. rubber, a synthetic rubber, or arubber-like polymer such as plasticised polyvinyl chloride, or oftextile material. Suitable supporting means must, of course, be providedfor the belt, to prevent distortion in the embossing region owing to thepressure of the pressure belt. It may, for example, be provided that theembossing occurs in a region in which the embossing belt is passinground a rotating drum. As when employing an embossing drum, so with theembossing belt, the mechanical pressure provided by one or more pressingrolls operating through auxiliary pressing belts may be supplemented byiluid pressure means.

Although it is preferable, as described above, for the pattern to befixed to the drum or embossing belt, the invention includes a processand apparatus in which the pattern is provided by a web, e.g. of wiregauze or other non-thermoplastic material, which is drawn continuouslybetween a rotating drum or travelling belt and the pressing belt so asto move with said drum or belt throughout the region in which the fabricto be embossed is in contact with the pressing belt. In this method thefabric is pressed between the pressing belt and the patterned web, whichis preferably heated immediately before coming in contact with thepressing belt.

The process of the invention has beendescribed with particular referenceto embossing knitted thermoplastic fabrics. Such fabrics areparticularly suitable for use f' in the process of the invention, sincethey are inherently more readily distortable than Woven fabrics of thesame material. Woven fabrics can, however, ibe embossed in the same. wayprovided that they are rendered sufficiently soft, e.g. in the case ofcellulose acetate fabrics, by the action of water and/or of an organicsoftening agent such as those referred to above, at the temperature atwhich embossing is effected. The process of the present invention may beemployed on other organic thermoplastic fabrics and on mixed fabrics,e.g. fabrics containing libres of cellulose acetate yarn or otherorganic thermoplastic yarn (either of continuous filaments or of staplelibre) in admixture .with breslof other materials, e.g. of cotton, linenor regenerated cellulose. The fab- 7 rics may be composed of or containcontinuous-filament and/or staple-fibre yarns. Mats of thermoplasticfibre may also be embossed by the process of the invention.

Cellulose acetate has been instanced above as the thermoplasticmaterial. The cellulose acetate ordinarily used in the textile industryis completely soluble in acetone and has an acetyl value (expressed aspercentage of combined acetic acid) between 52 and 54% The fabricsreferred to in Examples l to 3 were composed of a cellulose acetate ofthis kind. Fabrics can also be made, however, from cellulose acetates ofhigher acetyl values, e.g. between 54 and 56%, between 56 and 58% orbetween 58 and 62.5% of combined acetic acid, the process of theinvention includes embossing fabrics made of or containing suchcellulose acetates and the embossing of a fabric of cellulose acetate ofhigh acetyl value is described in Example 4. Other organic thermoplasticmaterials also may constitute the fibre-forming material of the fabricto be emossed, or may be employed as coatings on a non-thermoplasticfabric. Such other thermoplastic materials include other organic estersof cellulose, e.g. cellulose proponate, cellulose aceto-propionate andcellulose acetate-butyrate, and thermoplastic fibre-forming vinylcompounds such as polyvinyl chloride-acetate. We have also obtaineduseful results on knitted fabrics of polyethylene terephthalate with theembossing drum at 200 C.

The embossing may be effected without substantial stiffening of thefabrics. For some purposes, however, stiffening of the fabric is notdisadvantageous, and the invention includes carrying out the embossingin such a way that a stiffened fabric results. In general, hightemperatures and the presence of plasticisers (especially solventplastic'isers) contribute towards the stiffening of the materials.Plasticisers may, for instance, be introduced in a softening liquid withwhich the fabric is impregnated before embossing. Stiffening can also beeffected by impregnating the materials, before the embossing, with athermosetting synthetic resin or the components thereof, or across-linking agent for the material of the fabric, and effecting thecondensation or cross-linking necessary to give the required stiffnessduring, or immediately after, the embossing step7 and while the fabricis still pressed by the pressing belt against the embossing surface.With restricted quantities of suitable thermosetting synthetic resins orcross-linking agents, the permanence of the embossed effects may beincreased, together with the resilience of the fabric, without unduestiffening.

Fabrics of non-thermoplastic material, e.g. fabrics of cellulose andother hydrophobe fibres, especially knitted fabrics and felt fabrics,may be embossed by the method of the invention, and the embossed effectmay be fixed by effecting the hardening of a thermosetting syntheticresin in the fibre, or acting thereon with a cross-linking agent, duringor immediately after the embossing operation, and while the fabric isstill held by the pressing belt in contact with the embossed surface.Softening agents such as glycerol and polyglycols may be used to assistin the distortion of the fabric.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

l. Process for embossing a fabric of thermoplastic material whichcomprises, as a continuous operation applied to the travelling fabric,pressing a knitted cellulose acetate fabric, while wet with an aqueousliquid that develops softening properties for the material of the fabriconly at elevated temperatures, between a water absorbent belt ofresilient textile material and an embossing surface, both travelling inthe same direction at the same speed, the belt being yieldably pressedalong a short part of its path against a part of said surface that is ata temperature of 170 to 190 C. by a travelling pressing surface toeffect the desired embossing, and said belt along the next part of itspath remaining in contact with said surface and absorbing liquid fromthe fabric while holding it in contact with said surface until theembossing thereon is fixed, and the liquid absorbed by the belt beingevaporated in the further course of its travel, and stripping theembossed fabric from the embossing surface.

2. Process for embossing a fabric of thermoplastic material whichcomprises, as a continuous operation applied to the travelling fabric,pressing a knitted cellulose acetate fabric, while wet with water,between a water absorbent belt of resilient textile material and anembossing surface, both travelling in the same direction at the samespeed, the belt being yieldably pressed along a short part of its pathagainst a part of said surface that is at a temperature of to 190 C. bya travelling pressing surface to effect the desired embossing, and saidbelt along the next part of its path remaining in contact with saidsurface and absorbing liquid from the fabric while holding it in contactwith said surface until the embossing thereon is fixed, and the liquidabsorbed by the belt being evaporated in the further course of itstravel, and stripping the embossed fabric from the embossing surface.

3. Process for embossing a fabric of thermoplastic material whichcomprises, as a continuous operation applied to the travelling fabric,pressing a knitted cellulose acetate fabric, while wet with a 2 to 5%aqueous Solution of diethylene glycol diacetate, between a belt of thickfelted wool fibre and an embossing surface, both travelling in the samedirection at the same speed, the `belt being yieldably pressed along ashort part of its path against a part of said surface that is at atemperature of 170 to 190 C. by a travelling pressing surface to effectthe desired embossing, and said belt along the next part of its pathremaining in contact with said surface and absorbing liquid from thefabric while holding it in contact with said surface until the embossingthereon is fixed, and the liquid absorbed by the belt being evaporatedin the further course of its travel, and stripping the embossed fabricfrom the embossing surface.

4. Process for embossing a fabric of thermoplastic material whichcomprises, as a continuous operation applied to the travelling fabric,pressing a knitted cellulose acetate fabric, While wet with an aqueoussolution of 2 to 5% of diethylene glycol diacetate and 1 to 5% of athermosetting condensation product of melamine and formaldehyde, betweena belt of thick felted wool fibre and an embossing surface, bothtravelling in the same direction at the same speed, the belt beingyieldably pressed along a short part of its path against a part of saidsurface that is ata temperature of 170 to 190 C. by a travellingpressing Surface to effect the desired embossing, and Said belt alongthe next part of its path remaining in contact with said surface andabsorbing liquid from the fabric while holding it in Contact with saidsurface until the embossing thereon is fixed, and the liquid absorbed bythe belt being evaporated in the further course of its travel, andstrlpping the embossed fabric from the embossing surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,964,724 Dreyfus July 3, 1934 2,047,230 Schneider Iuly 14, 19362,077,508 Bierer Apr. 20, 1937 2,296,804 Winnek Sept. 22, 1942 2,442,598Harrison et al. June 1, 1948 2,446,771 Knowland Aug. 10, 1948 2,526,318Battin Oct. 17, 1950 2,562,078 Winnek July 24, 1951 2,669,527 HorwichFeb. 16, 1954 2,776,452 Chavannes Ian. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 552,093Great Britain Mar. 23, 1943

